Primal Scream
Jesse W. Johnson
Independent Release, 2016
From Springfield, Illinois, comes Jesse w. Johnson, and his own tormented and agitated form of rock. “Primal Image may be NSFW.
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Scream” is thick, gritty wash of sound, flaunting a deep seated unease which runs through the course of all of Johnsons material.“Fucked Up First” is a great big slab of roots rock in the vein of Mike Ness’s solo material. Honest and personal as an off handed admission in a casual conversation, Johnson owns up to his behavior without making a spectacle of hisself.
“Why Aren’t We in L.A.?” rocks at a easy clip, but belies a frustration at the heart of Johnson’s restless soul. The addition of a viola provides some unexpected musical emotion, not usually found in rock. The guitar lead in “Springfield Supportive Living,” is skittish and feels flustered, as though this best describes how he best feels.
This is a seriously tough and solid release. Don’t let the quieter numbers at the end lull you into a false sense of tranquility. Johnson is searching for that which will put him at peace with himself, but let’s hope he doesn’t find it too quickly.
